Many sports require the use of some type of ball or similar object in order to accomplish the outcome of the game. Sports like lacrosse, soccer, and field hockey all utilize a ball. Hockey utilizes a rubber puck. These sports require a player to participate in the game by “scoring” goals. In other words, a player must successfully get the ball or puck into a goal. A player's skills in accomplishing the scoring feat takes practice and many players spend countless hours practicing scoring and/or shooting at a goal.
A sports goal backstop is often utilized during practice sessions to aid in retaining the ball or playing within the confines of the playing field or practice space. Further, backstops are used in retrieval of shots that miss the desired mark.
The instant backstop is designed to facilitate in the prevention of a wayward shot from traveling beyond the goal and thus eliminate the need for the players to chase the ball or similar object, wasting time. This allows for more efficient practice time, wherein a player is also capable of taking more shots in a set practice session. Further, the sports goal backstop prevents the loss of a ball due to an errant shot.
The sports goal backstop keeps the ball in the general area of where the player is practicing. In particular, the instant backstop may be useful during practice sessions for sports such as, but not limited to, lacrosse and soccer.
Starting at a young age and moving far beyond the polished skills of professional athletes in such sports as lacrosse, hockey, and soccer, players are coached to shoot balls and pucks into locations that are hard to reach by goalies. Players regularly aim to shoot for corners and side gaps of the goal as openings exist therein. These locations tend to be more difficult for the goalie to protect. Thus, players want to perfect their skills to shoot and score successfully in these vulnerable areas.
In some sports, lacrosse in particular, players are coached to take a special type of shot known as “bounce shots.” This shot occurs when a player shoots the ball to a spot in the cease area in front of the goalie and the ball bounces from the ground into the upper part of the goal. The fast pace move, if performed successfully, can trick the goalie to leaving the upper part of the goal unprotected. Due to the blind nature of the shot, when taken in conjunction with the level of timing required by a goaltender to defend such shot, defense is normally rendered nearly impossible when placement is correct.
The varying shots discussed above, while tricky to a goaltender in theory, rarely find the proper location in practice and thus, during training when the player actually attempts to execute such complex shots, the object utilized, be it ball or puck, rarely hits the intended target or spot, due mainly to the lack of skill and accuracy required. Therefore, depending on the location of the field, rink, or practice area, and the inherent proximity to wooded areas, houses, and/or automobiles, when shots are missed, the ball may be lost and damage may additionally be incurred by surrounding houses, automobiles, and even people and animals. Further time spent finding and retrieving wild balls takes time away from actual practice and ultimately is wasted time for individuals trying to perfect their shooting.
Wayward balls and similar objects not only cost a player time but actual balls, depending on the area, balls may be lost and never relocated by the player. Consistently having to replace balls can prove costly. Ergo, as for example, lacrosse balls can cost as much as $3.00 per ball, such a level loss on a regular basis may render practicing intricate shots prohibitive from a budgetary standpoint, thus impeding creative playmaking activity. Furthermore, an innocent bystander or personal property may withstand injury or damage from loose, wild balls, taking chances will inherently be discouraged. As a consequence, creativity of the players may be stifled, as well as players may never achieve improvement on their shots and gameplay.
As stated, the most poignant result of wayward balls is the loss of valuable time and efficiency incurred in retrieving these errant balls. Interrupted practice situations can become frustrating, discouraging, and cause players, especially younger players to quickly lose interest and/or practice their shooting drills less.
Current backstop designs in the state of the art today require extensive setup and maintenance, including the possibility of having to drill holes in the goal and utilize tools to assemble and install the system. Currently utilized is a “fence-like” design that is simply a long metal tubular framed net that installs to the ground and is held up by flimsy foot-like base members and stabilizing cables at each end. This type of design is normally constructed behind the goal and is likely permanently secured due to the difficulty in setup, handling, and storage. Thus, this “fence-like” design offers no backstop support for “bounce shots” as described above.
Another design with the current state of the art comprises a “cage” type design, similar to a golf practice apparatus. This design is intended to fully encase the entire goal, but possesses very limited backstop protection from side to side and above the goal standpoints. Additionally, the cage-like design is extremely restrictive when trying to practice shooting on a net at an angle.
One common factor evident in all of the above-discussed designs is a tendency toward apparatuses, which are esthetically unpleasing when located in a user's yard or on a sports field. In addition, many of these systems cannot be easily stored away at the end of practice and thus must be left around. Further, these designs also take up massive amounts of storage space—space that may not be readily available for all players—which renders these designs as eyesores and also creates the opportunity for the systems to be damaged or stolen.
In other designs, a sports goal backstop includes a backstop, which is statically attached to a practice goal, used in lieu of the goal. In such a formation, the sports goal backstop/practice goal unit must be transported to the field, set up for practice, and then transported from the field. Additionally, great modification may be required, again including the possibility of having to drill holes in the goal and utilize tools to assemble and install the system. This procedure is not only cumbersome, but also time consuming.
In other instances, the sports goal backstop is a removable backstop that can be used along with the goal. In this instance, the sports goal backstop must still be transported to the field, set up for practice, and then transported from the field. As a result, this procedure is cumbersome and time consuming as well.